Lester, Hayward lifts Cubs over Phillies 6-3

Subscribe Now Choose a package that suits your preferences.
Start Free Account Get access to 7 premium stories every month for FREE!
Already a Subscriber? Current print subscriber? Activate your complimentary Digital account.

PHILADELPHIA — Jon Lester pitched eight scoreless innings, Jason Heyward hit a two-run homer and the Chicago Cubs held off the Philadelphia Phillies 6-4 on Monday night.

Lester (7-3) improved to 6-0 in eight career starts against the Phillies while lowering his ERA against them to 1.46. He struck out nine, walked none and allowed four hits.

Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Dexter Fowler each had three hits for the Cubs, who won their 11th in 13 games while extending their best start since 1900 to a major league-leading 40-16. Chicago moved 10 games in front of second-place Pittsburgh in the NL Central.

Philadelphia scored all its runs in the ninth against Chicago’s bullpen. Freddy Galvis hit a three-run homer and Tommy Joseph had a solo shot before Hector Rondon earned his 11th save.

Adam Morgan (1-5) lost his fifth straight start. Philadelphia has dropped nine of 11 overall.

TIGERS 11, BLUE JAYS 0

DETROIT — Michael Fulmer allowed two singles over six innings in another outstanding performance, and Justin Upton and James McCann homered to lift Detroit over Toronto.

Fulmer (6-1) has won four consecutive starts. The rookie struck out five and walked three in his third straight without allowing a run. Detroit has won four in a row.

J.A. Happ (6-3) yielded six runs and six hits in five innings. McCann’s three-run homer opened the scoring in the second, and Upton added a two-run shot in the third.

ORIOLES 4, ROYALS 1

BALTIMORE — Mark Trumbo and Matt Wieters hit solo homers in the seventh inning to back a sparkling pitching performance by Mike Wright, and Baltimore extended Kansas City’s losing streak to five games.

Manny Machado also homered for the Orioles, who have won five of six — all in come-from-behind fashion.

Wright and Kansas City left-hander Danny Duffy were locked in a scoreless duel until the Royals pushed across an unearned run in the seventh.

Trumbo led off the bottom half with his 19th home run, and Wieters connected with one out to chase Duffy (1-1). Adam Jones capped the uprising with an RBI double.

Machado homered off Kelvin Herrera in the eighth.

Demoted to the minors last week but recalled the following day when reliever Darren O’Day went on the disabled list, Wright (3-3) allowed one run and five hits over seven innings. Zach Britton earned his 18th save.

YANKEES 5, ANGELS 2

NEW YORK — Carlos Beltran hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning, Aroldis Chapman quickly returned to form and New York rallied past Los Angeles.

The Yankees returned from a 4-6 road trip by beating the Angels for the sixth straight time at home.

Beltran was the first batter Jose Alvarez faced after relieving starter Matt Shoemaker. Two-out singles by Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner prompted the Angels to go to their bullpen, and Beltran struck for his 14th homer.

Andrew Miller (3-0) struck out Kole Calhoun, Mike Trout and Albert Pujols in order in the eighth. Chapman, who blew a save chance for the first time this season Sunday in Baltimore, pitched a perfect ninth for his 10th save.

Brian McCann and Starlin Castro hit back-to-back home runs off Shoemaker (3-7) with two outs in the Yankees seventh, tying it at 2.

RAYS 6, DIAMONDBACKS 4

PHOENIX – Desmond Jennings had three hits, including a home run, and Tim Beckham also went deep to power the Tampa Bay Rays past the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-4 on Monday night.

Chris Archer (4-7) struck out 12 over six innings for the Rays, who have won four straight. Archer allowed three runs, five hits and three walks in his first win since May 17.

Alex Colome pitched the ninth for his 16th save in as many chances.

David Peralta homered in his first game off the disabled list for the Diamondbacks, who have lost 17 of 25. Arizona is 9-21 at home, the second-worst record in the majors behind Atlanta.

Beckham hit a two-run homer and Jennings added an RBI double during a four-run fifth against Robbie Ray (2-5).

Ray gave up five runs and eight hits in 4 2/3 innings with three walks and six strikeouts.

PADRES 7, BRAVES 2

SAN DIEGO – Yangervis Solarte hit a three-run homer and Matt Kemp drove in two runs to lead the San Diego Padres to a 7-2 victory Monday night in a matchup of last-place teams.

The Braves lost their fifth straight game and dropped to 16-41, worst in the majors. The Padres improved to 24-35.

Solarte homered to right field off Williams Perez (2-2) with one out in the third inning, his fourth. Wil Myers and Kemp were aboard on singles.

Kemp hit a sacrifice fly in the first and an RBI double with one out in the fifth. Perez left with soreness in his right triceps after pitching to Kemp and was replaced by Casey Kelly, who was traded from San Diego for catcher Christian Bethancourt in December.

ROCKIES 6, DODGERS 1

LOS ANGELES – Tyler Chatwood pitched eight strong innings, Trevor Story and Gerardo Parra homered and the Colorado Rockies held the Los Angeles Dodgers to one hit in a 6-1 victory on Monday night.

Chatwood (7-4) kept up his road dominance this season by limiting Los Angeles to only Howie Kendrick’s second-inning single. He struck out five and walked four. Chatwood missed most of the 2014 season and all of 2015 following Tommy John surgery.

Gonzalez Germen pitched a perfect ninth for the Rockies.

Story hit a three-run shot in the sixth. He has 16 homers this season, the most ever by a rookie before the All-Star break.

Mike Bolsinger (1-3) allowed six runs over 5 1/3 innings.

INDIANS 3, MARINERS 1

SEATTLE – Trevor Bauer pitched 7 1/3 strong innings and Rajah Davis homered to lead the Cleveland Indians to their sixth straight victory with a 3-1 win over the Seattle Mariners on Monday night.

Bauer (4-2) gave up one run while scattering five hits. He walked one and struck out 10 to earn his first victory since May 10. Bryan Shaw got the final two outs in the eighth and Cody Allen worked the ninth to pick up his 12th save in 13 opportunities.

It’s the longest win streak for the Indians since Aug. 25-31 and extended their lead over Kansas City in the AL Central to 2 1/2 games.

James Paxton (0-2) took the loss for the Mariners, who have dropped four straight. He allowed all three runs — just one earned — on five hits. He walked one and struck out 10 in six innings.

METS vs. PIRATES, PPD

PITTSBURGH – The scheduled game between the New York Mets and Pittsburgh Pirates has been postponed by rain and will be made up as part of a single-admission doubleheader Tuesday beginning at 10:05 a.m.

This is the Mets’ only visit to Pittsburgh this season. The game was called Monday night after a delay of 1 hour, 35 minutes.

New York rookie Steven Matz (7-1, 2.60 ERA) was pushed back a day to start the opener of the doubleheader Tuesday against ex-Met Jon Niese (5-2, 4.36). Jacob deGrom will pitch the second game for the NL champion Mets against lefty Francisco Liriano.

Niese was traded to the Pirates in December for second baseman Neil Walker, who is returning to play in his Pittsburgh hometown this week for the first time since the deal.